O'Neill, a forward from Yardley, Pa., completed one of the most successful four-year runs in school history with 163 career points, second only to Jeff Hamilton's 173, and served as the backbone of three NCAA tournament teams.

"As the total package, I can make the argument that he's the greatest player in Yale history," Allain said. "In terms of what his teams produced, leading the team in scoring three years in a row -- and he's so much more than just a scorer. I could go on and on about the contributions he's made to our hockey program."

That's high praise considering the talent that's come through Yale in 117 years of hockey at the school.

Hamilton, who played in the NHL and Europe, was a Hobey Baker finalist in 1999 and 2001. Chris Higgins, a first-round draft pick who played in the Stanley Cup finals for Vancouver last year, and Ray Giroux, in his 14th pro season, were ECAC players of the year. Bob Brooke, Bob Kudelski and Randy Wood, all stars at Yale in the 80s, spent a combined 27 years in the NHL.

O'Neill, the Ivy League Player of the Year, is expected to be a finalist for ECAC player of the year. His 21 goals and 25 assists also make him a candidate for All-American and Hobey Baker finalist consideration.

His days in a Yale uniform are over, but the next phase of O'Neill's career will begin shortly. Several NHL teams are interested, and an offer has already come in from overseas.

Last summer, not long after O'Neill led the Bulldogs to within a game of the Frozen Four for the second successive season with a team-high 20 goals and 46 points, the Los Angeles Kings offered a contract for the maximum allowable money for rookies under the NHL's collective bargaining agreement.

O'Neill turned the deal down to return to Yale. But the Kings are among those expected to come back with another contract offer this week, joining one on the table from the Swedish professional league that signed Yale's Broc Little last spring.

Harvard coach Ted Donato, who spent 13 years as a forward in the NHL, mostly with the Boston Bruins, said he considers O'Neill an All-American-caliber player who deserves a chance to play in the NHL.

"Brian is one of the best players I've seen in our league over my eight years coaching," Donato said. "He's an all-around player who can hurt you scoring goals, setting up plays and he plays with a compete level and an edge that as a coach you dream your best players are that complete. Every time he's on the ice, he's a factor."